Corn harvesting machine



May 16, 1933.

M. BROWN CORN HARVESTING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1950 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 N AN I)? ven for: Millard/(Brow By 43% M flier-n egs.

May 16, 1933. M. K. BROWN v CORN HARVESTING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet In verz for: Millard KB "own. By

MQ fi/ M fl'fornel s y 16, 1933- M. K. BROWN 1 1,908,952

CORN HARVESTiNG MACHINE Filed May 31, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 0 0 a N U) Q A m 0 O b O N 1n n In Q Q G o e k a o x o s w 3 N A O (11 o a 0 GD O 5 o n 8 a o G u u:

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o O 3 I o o O o o Inveni'or: W 3 0 MIlard/(Brown. 0 2

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May 16, 1933. M. K. BROWN CORN HARVESTING MACHINE Filed' May 31, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 In ven for-.- Millard K Brown.

May 16, 1933. BROWN 1,908,952

CORN HARVESTING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1950 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 I a van for;

'78 -M'1lard KBrown. bullllmimivzziwivi fiyfim A W WK Y l 72 75% A '15 W A i'forneqs.

May 16, 1933. BROWN 1,908,952

CORN HARVESTING MACHINE Filed May 51, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Qua-A B Millard Kfirown 8| g z t 4 4 f y fii'orn e945.

May 16, 1933. M. K. BROWN CORN HARVESTING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1930 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 In ven for: Millard KBrown.

Patented May 16, 1933 HILLARD K. BROWN, 01 EAGLE GBDVE, IOWA.

CORN HARVESTING Application filed May 31,

: preferred type to be capable of picking or' cutting corn stalks, ofefliciently husking all of the ears of corn which the cut stalks may possess, and of removing each husked ear of corn from its stalk.

A further specific object is to provide novel means in the machine or apparatus for separating the husked and removed ears of corn from the stripped stalks, and for conveying the husked ears to a'suitable carrier therefor, as, for example, to a bin upon the tractor or upon a wagon drawn by the tractor.

A still further object is to provide simple and improved devices in the machine or apparatus designed to efficiently function, both singly and in novel combination, to dependably perform each and all of the several mechanical operations necessary to the pick ing or cutting of corn stalks, to the husking of the ears of corn upon the stalks, to the removal of the husked ears of corn from the stalks, to the separation of the husked and removed ears of corn and the stripped stalks from each other, and to the collection of the harvested ears of corn in a suitable container. With the above objects in view, as well as others which will appear as the specification proceeds, the invention comprises the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as now to be fully described and as hereinafter to be specifically claimed, it being understood that the disclosure herein is merely illustrative and intended in no way in a limiting sense, changes in details of con struction and arrangement of parts being permissible so long as Within the spirit of the 1930. Serial No. 457,817.

invention and the scope of the claims which follow:

In the accompanyin drawin s formi part of this specificatioi, g ng Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a tractor equipped with a corn harvesting machineor apparatus in which the features of the invent on are incorporated;

Flg. 2 is a top plan view of the corn stalk guiding member of the machine or apparatus, discloslng parts of the corn stalk feeding means;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of F ig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged end elevational view of the machine as seen from the right in Fig.

1, showing the tractor frame members in sectlon;

Fig. I 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on line 66 of Fig. 8, showing a part of the machine driving means of Fig. 5 in elevation;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 77 of Fig. 1 or Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken as on line 88 in Fig.7;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 99 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of the corn stalk cutting mechanism taken on line 1010 in Fig. 11;

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view taken on line 1111 in Fig. 13, showing the corn stalk cutters in plan;

Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view partially in elevation of the corn stalk cutters taken on line 1212 in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a further detail sectional view of the corn stalk cutting mechanism taken as on line 1313 in Fig. 9 and Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on line 14-14 in Fig. 7;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 1515 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 16 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 1616 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 17 is a detail view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the mechanism of Fi 1 for conveying theharvested ears of corn rom the machine or apparatus.

With respect to the drawings and the nu-' merals of reference thereon, represents a tractor of ordinary or preferredconstruction and 21 designates the corn harvesting machine of the invention. As shown, the tractor includes front and rear wheels, indicated 22 and 23, respectively, frame members 24 suitably supported from .the axles of said front and rear wheels, and a shaft 25 at the rear of the tractor and driven in the usual way by the tractor mechanism.

The present corn harvesting machine is supported at a side of the tractor upon the frame members 24 tci extend forwardly, and the operating parts of said machine are driven from the shaft 25. Ordinarily, said shaft 25 carries a belt pulley, but in the present instance, the belt pulley is desirably removed and replaced by a sprocket 26.

, As shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 5, numeral27 represents a bracket suitably secured upon the right hand frame member 24, as by U-bolts 28, and 29 designates a casting suitably secured upon the left hand frame member 24, as by U-bolts 30. Desirably, the tractor frame members 24 are of hollow, rectangular configuration in cross section, and the U-bolts 28 and 30 surround the inner, upper and lower surfaces of said frame members and receive nuts which securely clamp the bracket 27 and the casting 29 against the outer faces of the frame members.

The bracket 27 provides a bearing 31 and the casting 29 provides spaced-apart bearings 32 and 33 for a driven shaft 34, which includes an ordinary form of slip clutch 35 positioned between the bearings 31 and 32. The bearings 31, 32 and 33 include removable caps 36., for the ready insertion and removal of said shaft 34.

The driven shaft 34 is disposed transversely of the tractor and includes a sprocket 37 adjacent the right hand side of the tractor which is rotated by means of a chain 38 passing over the sprocket 26.

The frame of the corn harvesting machine is pivotally supported upon the casting 29 by means of trunnions 39 mounted in the bearings 32 and 33 and serving as bushings for the shaft 34, and said machine frame extends forwardly of the tractor and downwardly. A split gear casing 40. rotatably mounted upon the shaft 34 and disposed be tween the trunnions 39. houses a bevel gear 41 meshing with a bevel gear 42 upon a power transmission or snapping shaft 43 mount-- ed in spaced apart bearings 44 of a second gear casing 45 attached to the gear casing at 46. The gear casing is as disclosed made in two parts 47 and-48 which are held to each other and to the trunnions 39 by screw bolts 49 passing through arms 50 upon the trunnions and entering said parts 47 and 48 of said gear casing 45.

Desirably, parallel spaced apart, lower, forwardly extending, inwardly opening channel members 51 have their rearward end portions secured to the o )posite side faces of the gear casing 45 as by screw bolts 52 (see Figs. 7 and 8), and their forward end portions attached as by bolts 53 to parallel spaced apart upstanding brackets 54 which fit against the outer surfaces of said channel members 51 (see Fig. 9).

Desirably parallel, spaced apart, upper, forwardly extending, upwardly opening channel members 55 have their rearward end portions secured as by bolts 56 (see Fig. 7) to the top surface of the gear casing 45. Intermediate portions of said channel members 55 are attached, as by screw bolts 57 (see Fig. 9) to upper surfaces of the brackets 54.

The snapping shaft 43 carries a relatively wide gear 58 which is situated within the casing 45 between the parts 47 and 48 thereof and said gear 58 meshes with a relatively narrow gear 59 within the gear casing 45 and fixed upon a second snappin mounted in bearings 61 of said casmg. The snapping shafts 43 and extend forwardly from the gear casing 45 in spaced apart, parallel, horizontal relation to each other, and forward portions of said shafts 43 and 60 are mounted in bearings, of brackets 62 and 63, respectively, the bracket 62 being suitably secured to a lower channel member 51, and the bracket 63 being suitably secured to an upper channel member 55 (see Figs. 9 and 16). The snapping shaft 43 is somewhat longer than the snapping shaft 60, and each of said shafts carries an externally threaded member 64 for a purpose to be explained. The threaded members 64 include feed elements 64' between the threads and extending longitudinally of the members. 1

A shaft 65 mounted in bearings 66 of the gear casing 45 carries a relatively narrow gear 67 which lies adjacent the gear 59 and meshes with the gear 58 to'be driven thereby. The shaft 65 extends forwardly from the gear casing 45 at position slightly above the elevation of the horizontal plane of the shafts 43 and 60 and flexibly supports, as at 68. a rotatable shaft 69 carrying a cylindrical brush 70 which may desirably include radial bristles of steel. The end portion of the shaft 69 opposite the connection 68 is mounted in a bearing 71 suitably supported upon the frame of the machine to position the axis of the brush 70 in a horizontal plane which is parallel to the horizontal plane of the threaded members 64, but to dispose said brush axis in oblique, preferably overlying relation to the axes of said members 64, about as shown in Fig. 4.

A horizontal support 72 for the corn stalk cutting or clipping knives extends transshaft 60 I versely of the machine, and is secured against the lower ends of the upstanding brackets 54 in any suitable manner, as by bolts 73, to

tie said brackets 54 to each other. Numeral 5 74 denotes headed and nutted bolts which attach spaced apart brackets 75, carrying stationary clipping knives 76, against the lower face of the support 72, said stationary clipping knives extending forwardly of said 0 support as shown in Fig. 11, and 77 designates a strip attached to the support 72, as by the bolts 74, to provide, together with the support, a guide channel 78 in which a carrier 79 for a movable clipping knife 80 is arranged to be' reciprocated. As disclosed more clearly in Fig. 11, the inner or adjacent edges of the stationary knives 76 are cutting edges, as are the outer or opposite edges of the reciprocatable knife 80, and the cutting edges of the reciprocatable knife are adapted to alternately pass the vertical planes of the cutting edges of the stationary knife, while said edges are in close proximity, to thus sever the corn stalks in a manner which is usual and well known.

A short shaft 81 mounted in the gear casing carries a gear 82 which meshes with the gear 59 to be driven thereby. A crank arm 83 upon said short shaft 81 pivotally supports one end of a link 84 the opposite end of which is pivoted to a lever 85 fixed upon a rock shaft 86 having its rearward end portion mounted in a bearing 87 of the casing 45, its intermediate portion mounted in a bearing 100 upon the frame, and its forward end portion mounted in a bearing 88 of an upstanding bracket 54. The end of the rock shaft 86 adjacent the bearing 88 carries a bevel gear 89 which meshes with a bevel gear 90 upon a short rock shaft 91 mounted, as at 92, in the bracket 54 which has the bearing 88. A lever 93 having one of its ends fixed to an end of the short rock shaft 91, as at 94, has its other end forked as at 95 to receive a stud 96 suitably secured to the reciprocatable carrier 79. It will be apparent that rotation of the shaft 81 will cause the crank arm 83 to be rotated to reciprocate the link 84 and oscillate the lever 85 and the rock shaft 86. Oscillation of said rock shaft 86 will oscillate the bevel gear 89, which in turn will oscillate the bevel gear 90 to rock the lever 93 and reciprocate the carrier 7 9.

Attention is called to the fact that all of the gears 58, 59, 67 and 82 are housed within the casing 45. Numeral 97 represents a filling opening in the top of said casing and carrying a removable plug 98. Evidently, lu- O bricating medium can be inserted through the opening 97 to surround all of said gears 58,

59, 67 and 82. Likewise, lubricating medium can be inserted in the gear casing 40 to surround the bevel gears 41 and 42.

The upper channel members support spaced apart, parallel planks 99 which extend longitudinally of the machine and are attached to said channel members in an convenient manner'as by the screw bolts 57 which pass through the planks, through the channel members and preferably through wooden blocks in said channel members, and enter the upstanding brackets 54 (see Fig. 9). The planks 99 suitably support a corn stalk guiding frame, of construction as best disclosed in Figs. 1, 3, 7, 9, 14, 15 and 16. As

shown, said guiding frame includes an open,

flared mouth 101 at the forward portion of the machine in advance of the tractor, which merges in a passa e 102 of uniform width directly behind said mouth and above the threaded members 64 and the cylindrical brush 70. The guiding member desirablyincludes divergent, upstanding walls 103 between which the foliage of the corn stalks is adapted to be nicely received as the machine moves ahead. The guidingmember can be secured upon the planks 99 in any convenient manner, as indicated generally at 104.

Portions of the guiding member adjacent thepassage 102 carry sprocket chain guides 105, including a guide adjacent the inner edge of .each plank 99 and extending longitudinally thereof. A sprocket chain 106 extends along each guide 105 and rests upon the corresponding plank in about the manner as best disclosed in Figs. 9, 15 and 16. The sprocket chains 106 carryfeeding fingers 107, which extend into the passage 102. A

forwardportion of each sprocket chain 106 rides upon idlers 108, one suitably mounted upon each plank 99, and the rearward portion of each sprocket chain 106 rides over a sprocket 109, one mounted upon each of said planks 99. As shown, each sprocket 109 is fixed upon a vertical shaft suitably supported in the corresponding plank 99, the shaft at the left of the machine being represented at 1-10 and the shaft at the right of the machine being represented at 111.

The shaft 65 carries a sprocket 112 arranged outside of the gear housing 45. A sprocket chain 113 upon said sprocket 112 rides over spaced apart sprockets 114 and 115 upon shafts designated 116 and 117,respectively, which are suitably mounted upon the frame, in brackets 118 secured upon the planks 99 by bolts 119 as shown. The shaft 116 carries a bevel pinion 120 which meshes with a bevel gear 121 upon the shaft 110, and the shaft 117 carries a bevel pinion 122 which meshes with a bevel gear 123 upon the shaft 111.

It will be clear that'when the shaft 65 is rotated, the sprocket 112' is advanced to turn the shafts 116 and 117 which in turn rotate the gears 121 and 123 in direction causing the sprocket chains 106 to move in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 3. The shaft extends downwardly from its bearing through an upper channel member 55, and the lower end of said shaft carries a sprocket 124 u on which the rearward ortion of a sprocl et chain 125 rides. The orward portion of said sprocket chain 125 rides over an idler 126 suitably supported from an upper channel member 55, as best shown in Fig. 15. The sprocket chain 125 is suitably supported by brackets 127 suspended from the plank 99 at the left of the machine. Numeral 128 represents feeding fingers upon the sprocket chain 125 and extending crosswise of the passage 102. It will be apparent that when the shaft 110 is caused to rotate in the manner as already set forth, the sprocket chain 125 will be moved in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 4.

The frame of the corn harvesting machane is desirably held in preferred oblique or tilted relation to the ground by means of a strlp 129 suitably secured upon the forward end portion of the adjacent tractor frame member, as at 130, and having an elongated slot- 131 in its lower end portion adjustably receiving a fastening element 132 on a bracket 133 mounted-upon the machine frame. To set the machine frame at desired elevation, the fastening element 132 is loosened in the slot 131, adjusted to desired position, and then turned home.

The corn stalk guiding member desirably includes divergent shoe-carrying elements 134. which extend forwardly and downwardly from the location of the flared mouth 101 of said guiding member and receive pivotally supported shoes 135 upon their forward ends adapted to ride along the ground Prefera bly, the shoes 135 are connected with the machine frame by means of links 136. The rearward portions of the shoe-carrying elements 134 may desirably be adjustably attached to forward end portions of the guiding member at the opposite sides of the flared mouth, as by means of pins 137 in the forwardly and downwardly extending elements 134 arranged in elongated slots 138 in said guid ng member adapted to allow slight relatlve movement between the elements 134 and the remainder of the corn stalk guiding member when the shoes 135 ride over rough ground.

Numeral 139 represents a hopper below theportions of the shafts 43 and 60 at the rear of the externally threaded members 64 adapted to receive the ears of corn after they have been husked and removed from the stalks. The lower portion of the hopper 139 opens to a conveyor 140 adapted to receive the cars of corn from the hopper and to convey them to a storage container, as for example, to a bin upon a rearward part of the tractor or upon a wagon drawn by the tractor. Means for operating the conveyor 140 may consist of a sprocket chain 141 ridable upon the conveyor sprocket 142 and upon a sprocket 143 arranged upon the end of the s aft 34 opposite the sprocket 37 In operation, the corn harvesting machine. T

advances with the tractor to cause the shoecarrymg elements 134 and their shoes to travel at opposite sides of a row or rows of corn stalks to be cut, so that as the tractor Y ber 64, the right hand member as, disclosed (see Fig. 4).

The arrangement is such that the sprocket chains 106 and 125 are driven to advance in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 3 and 4, at about the same speed as the tractor moves ahead, so that the feeding fingers 107 and 128 have no appreciable retarding or feeding influence upon the stalks before they are cut, as will be obvious. Said feeding fingers steady the stalks while being cut by the knives.

As very clearly shown, the upper or foliage portions of the corn stalks reach the location of the divergent, upstanding walls 103 of the corn stalk guiding member before said stalks are cut.

Immediately upon severance of the stalks from the ground, the feeding fingers 107 and 128 advance the stalks rearwardly of the machine and at about the same speed at which thetractor moves ahead, to the externally threaded members 64. Said members 64 rotate in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 4 and 16 to cause the spiral threads and feed elements 64' thereon to carry the cut stalks downwardly and rearwardly as they are pushed rearwardly of the machine by the feeding fingers. Desirably, the externally threaded members 64 are driven to rotate at speed to have rearward feeding tendency upon the corn stalks about equal to the feeding tendency of the feeding fingers 107 and 128, in order that the stalks will be more or less evenly spread along the lengths of the threaded members and that there will be no congestion of the stalks at this location in the machine.

The feeding fingers and the externally threaded members 64 carry the stalks to the location of the obliquely arranged cylindrical brush 70, which rotates in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 4 and 16. As the corn. stalks are carried rearwardly by the feeding fingers and the spiral threads upon the members 64, said spiral threads and the feed elements 64' feed said stalks downwardly to eventually bring the husks of the ears of corn into engagement with the steel bristles upon the brush 70. Said bristles wipe upwardly over the husks at a proper speed to release said husks, including the corn silk, from the ears, and when a stalk has been fed suflicient ly rearwardly, after the husks of its ears have been released, it is forcibly pushed against the brush 7,0 .which directs the rearwardly moving car laterally of the vertical plane of the stalk to cause said ear to be snapped from the stalk at its location of jointure with the stalk, the threaded members 64 and feed elements 64' upon the snapping shafts-43 and 60, naturally, securely grasping the corn stalks while the husked ears are belng snapped therefrom. In some instances, the snapping rollers may operate alone to remove the ears from the corn stalks, the co-. operating action between the brush 70 and the rollers 64 to remove the ears being increased or decreased by the relative set positions of said brush and rollers. For example, by setting the brush 70 more nearly parallel with the rollers 64, the cooperating action of the rollers and brush to remove the ears is decreased, and by arranging the brush at a greater angle to the rollers, said cooperating action is increased. In any case, the brush 70 accomplishes the husking.

The threaded members 64 are spaced apart a distance insnfiicient to allow passage of the husked and removed ears between said threaded members, so that the spiral threads upon said members feed the removed ears rearwardly along the upper surfaces ofthe threaded members and said ears ride over and drop from the left hand member 64 into the hopper 139. The husked and removed ears of corn pass by gravity from the hopper 139 to the conveyor 140 which carries them to a collecting container.

When the ears have been removed, the stripped stalks are easily carried downwardly by the spiral threads and feed elements 64' upon the members 64 and deposited upon the ground. ,Evidently, the machine could include means for collecting the stripped stalks.

In all cases, it may not be absolutely necessary to employ feeding fingers such as the lower feeding fingers 128. 'It is, however, preferable to utilize long and short threaded members 64 arranged about as shown in Fig.

4, in order that-there will be no congestion of the stalks at or adjacent the location where the mouth of the guiding member of the machine advances to opposite sides of the stalks, and to employ feeding fingers at elevation below' the elevation of the threaded members 64' to assist in the advance of the stalks toward the shorter threaded member after said stalks have been cut from the ground.

It is to be understood that the bristled brush can be driven at any desired speed,

corn upon said stalks,

relatively to the speed at which the feeding fingers and the threaded members 64 advance the corn stalks to the brush and cause said corn stalks to be pulled downwardly 1n the machine, which will accomplish the husklng operation in the most efli'cient manner. It 1s also to be understood that the speed of movement of the feeding fingers 107 and 128 and the speed of rotation of the externally threaded members 64 will bear relation to each other and to the speed of advancement of the tractor best suited to proper harvesting action of the machine considered from the standpoint of smooth, even, and spread out passage of the corn stalks and their ears through the machine and longitudinally of said threaded members 64.

Special attention is called to the simple manner in which the present corn harvesting machine can be assembled with and removed from a tractor. To attach the machine to a tractor, all that is necessary is to set the bracket 27 and the casting 29 in proper relation to the tractor frame members and fasten down the U-bolts 28 and 30. Once upon the tractor frame members, the bracket 27 and the casting 29 need never be removed. Thereafter, the corn harvesting machine can be easily disassembled from the tractor by merely releasing the shaft 34 and the trunnions 39 from their hearings, or by releasing the split gear casing 40 from the shaft 34 and removing the screw bolts 49; or by removing said screw bolts 49 and releasing the fastening means 46.

What is claimed is:

1. In a corn harvesting machine, means for feeding corn stalks, and unitary means above said feeding means for releasing the husks from cars of corn upon said stalks, said corn stalk feeding means being adapted to con vey the ears of corn to said husk releasing means and both of said means being adapted to cooperate to remove said ears of corn when husked from said stalks.

2. In a corn harvesting machine, means for feeding corn stalks, means above said feeding means for releasing the husks from cars of said corn stalk feeding means being adapted to convey the ears of corn to said husk releasing means and both of said means being adapted to cooperate to remove said ears of corn when husked from said stalks, and means for collecting the husked and removed ears of corn.

3. In a corn harvesting machine, means for I disconnecting corn stalks from the ground, means for separately feeding the disconnected corn stalks, means above said feeding means for releasing the husks from ears of corn upon said stalks, said corn stalk feeding means being adapted to convey the cars of corn to said husk releasing means and both of said means being adapted to cooperate to remove said ears of corn when husked from said stalks, and means for collecting 'the husked and removed ears of corn.

4. In a corn harvesting machine, means for gripping and feeding a corn stalk, and means above said gripping and feeding means for releasing the husks from an ear of corn upon said stalk, said corn stalk gripping and feeding means being adapted to convey the ear of corn tosaid husk releasing means and both of said means being adapted to cooperate to remove said ear of corn-when husked from said stalk.

5. In a corn harvesting machine, rotatable means for gripping and feeding a corn stalk, and rotatable means above the first mentioned means for releasing the husks from an ear of corn upon said stalk, said rotatable gripping and feeding means being adapted to convey the ear of corn to said rotatable husk releasing means and both of said means being adapted to cooperate to remove said ear of corn when husked from said stalk.

6. In a corn harvesting machine, rotatable means for gripping and feeding corn stalks rotatable means above said first mentione means for releasing the husks from ears oi corn upon said stalks, said rotatable gripping and feeding means being adapted to convey the ears of corn to said rotatable husk releasin means and both of said means being a apted to cooperate to remove said ears of corn when husked from said stalks, and means for collecting the husked and removed ears of com. I v

7. In a corn harvesting machine, spaced apart feed members for gripping corn stalks at location below ears of corn thereon, and a member above said feed members for releasing the husks from said ears of corn, said feed members being adapted to convey said stalks in the machine to bring the husks upon said cars into engagement with said husk releasingmember, and said feed members and said husk releasing member being adapted to cooperate with each other to remove the ears of corn when husked from said stalks.

8. In a corn harvesting machine, means for disconnecting corn stalks from the ground, spaced apart feed members for griping the disconnected corn stalks at location low ears of corn thereon, and a member above said feed members for releasing the husks from said ears of corn, said feed members bein adapted to convey said stalks downwar ly in the machine and in direction to bring the husks upon said ears into engagement with said husk releasing member, and said feed members and said husk releasing member being'adapted to cooperate with each other to remove the ears of corn when husked from said stalks.

9. In a corn harvesting machine, means for disconnecting corn stalks from the ground, spaced apart feed members for gripping the disconnected corn stalks at location below ears of corn thereon a member above said feed members for reieasing the husks from said ears of corn, said feed members being adapted to convey said stalks downwardly in the machine and in direction to bring the husks upon said ears into engagement with said husk releasing member, and said feed members and said husk releasing member being adapted to cooperate with each other to remove the ears of corn when husked from said stalks, and means for collecting the husked and removed ears of corn.

10. In a corn harvesting machine, spaced apart feed screws for gripping corn stalks at location below ears of corn thereon, and a rotatable brush above said feed screws for releasing the husks from said ears of corn, said feed screws being adapted to convey said stalks in the machine to bring the husks upon said ears into engagement with said rotatable brush, and said feed screws and said rotatable brush being adapted to cooperate with each other to remove the ears of corn when husked from said stalks.

11. In a corn harvesting machine, means for disconnecting corn stalks from the ground, spaced apart feed screws having longitudinally extending feed elements for gripplng the disconnected corn stalks at location below ears of corn thereon, a rotatable brush above said feed screws for releasin the husks from said ears of corn, said fee screws and elements being adapted to convey said stalks downwardly in the machine and in direction to bring the husks upon said ears into engagement with said rotatable brush, and said feed screws and elements and said rotatable brush being adapted to cooperate with each other to remove the ears of corn when husked from said stalks, and means for collecting the husked and removed ears of corn.

12. In a corn harvesting machine, means for disconnecting corn stalks from the ground, spaced apart feed members 'for gripping the disconnected corn stalks at location below ears of corn thereon, a member above said feed members for releasing the husks from said ears of corn, said feed members being adapted to convey said stalks downwardly in the machine and in direction to bring the husks upon said cars into engagement with said husk releasing member, and said feed members and said husk releasing member being adapted to cooperate with each other to remove the ears of corn when husked from said stalks, and feeding fingers for carrying the corn stalks to said spaced apart feed members.

13. In a corn harvesting machine, spaced apart feed members for gripping corn stalks at location below ears of corn thereon, a member above said feed members for releasing the husks from said ears of corn, said feed members being adapted to convey said stalks in the machine to bring the husks upon said ears into engagement with said husk releas ing member, and said feed members and said husk releasing member being adapted to co- 0 e'rate with each other to remove the ears 0 corn when husked'from said stalks, and means for carrying the corn stalks to said spaced apart feed members.

14. In a corn harvesting machine, feed means for gripping corn stalks at location below ears of corn thereon, and means above said feed means for releasing the husks from said cars of corn, said feed means being adapted to convey said stalks in the machine to bring the husks upon said ears into engagement with said husk releasin means, and said feed means and said hus releasing means being adapted to cooperate with each other to remove the ears of corn when husked from said stalks.

15. In a corn harvesting machine, feed means for gripping corn stalks at location below ears of corn thereon, and means above said feed means and disposed obliquely thereto for releasing the husks from said ears of corn, said feed means being adapted to convey said stalks downwardly in the machine to bring the husks upon the ears into engagement with the husk releasing means, and said feed means being adapted to operate in the accomplishment of removal of the ears of corn when husked from said stalks.

16. In a corn harvesting machine, means for disconnecting corn stalks from the ground, feed means for gripping the disconnected corn stalks at location below ears of corn thereon, and means above said feed means and disposed obliquely thereto for releasing the husks from said ears of corn, said feed means being adapted to convey said stalks downwardly and rearwardly in the machine and in direction to bring the husks upon said ears into engagement with said husk releasing means. and said feed means being adapted to assist in the removal of the husked ears from said stalks.

17. In a corn harvesting machine, rotatable feed means for gripping corn stalks at location below ears of corn thereon, rotatable means above said feed means for releasing the husks from said ears of corn, said rotatable feed means being adapted to convey the stalks in the machine to bring the husks upon the ears in engagement with the rotatable husk releasing means, and said feed means and said husk releasing means being adapted to cooperate with each other to remove ears of corn when husked from said stalks.

18, In a corn harvesting machine, means for gripping a corn stalk and feeding the same downwardly, and means above said gripping means and disposed in oblique relation thereto for releasing the husk from an ear of corn upon said stalk while being fed by said gripping means, said gripping means being adapted to at least assist in the re moval of the husked ear of corn from said.

stalk.

19. In a corn harvesting machine, means for disconnecting a corn stalk from the ground, means for gripping the disconnected corn stalk and feeding the same downwardly, and means above said gripping means and disposed in oblique relation thereto for releasing the husk from an ear of corn upon said disconnected stalk while being fed by sa d gripping means, said gripping means bein'g'adapted to at least assist in the removal of the husked ear of corn from said stalk.

20. In a corn harvesting machine, means for disconnecting corn stalks from the ground, means for gripping each disconnected corn stalk and feeding the same downwardly, means above said gripping means and disposed in slightly oblique relation thereto for releasing the husks from ears of corn upon said disconnected stalks while being fed by said gripping means, said gripping means being adapted to at least assist in the removal of the husked ears of corn from said stalks, and means for collecting the husked and removed ears of corn.

21. In a corn harvesting machine, means for gripping corn stalks and feeding the same downwardly, means above said gripping means and extending longitudinally thereof and obliquely thereto for releasing thehusks from ears of corn upon said stalks while being fed by said gripping means, said gripping means being adapted to at least assist in the removal of the husked ears of corn from said stalks, and means for collecting the husked and removed ears of corn.

22. In a corn harvesting machine, spaced apart feed screws for gripping corn stalks at location below ears of corn thereon, and a rotatable brush above said feed screws and extending longitudinally thereof and obliquely thereto for releasing the husks from said ears of corn, said feed screws being adapted to convey said stalks downwardly and rearwardly in the machine to bring the husks upon said ears into engagement with said rotatable brush, said rotatable brush being adapted to release the husks from the ears of corn while being fed by said feed screws and said feed screws being adapted to at least assist in the removal of the husked ears of corn from said stalks.

23. In a corn harvesting machine, spaced apart means extending from front toward rear of said machine for gripping a corn stalk therebetween and feeding the same downwardly, and means also extending from front toward rear of said machine above said gripping means and in oblique relation 24. Ina corn harvesting machine, spaced apart means extending from front toward rear of said machine for gripping a corn stalk therebetween and feeding the same downwardly and rearwardly, and means also extending from front toward rear of said machine above said gripping means for releasing the husk from an ear of corn upon said stalk while being fed by said gripping means, said husk releasing means beingin oblique relation to said gripping means in the path of downward and rearward travel of said ear of corn in said machine, and said gripping means being adapted to at least assist in the removal of the husked ear of corn from said stalk.

25. In a corn harvesting machine, spaced apart feed screws extending longitudinally of said machine for gripping corn stalks at location below ears of corn thereon, and a rotatable brush extending in a generally longitudinal direction of said machine above said feed screws for releasing the husks from said ears of corn, said feed screws being adapted to convey said stalks downwardly and rearwardly in the machine, said rotatable brush being in slightly oblique relation to said feed screws in the path of downward and rearward travel of ears of corn in said machine to release the husks from said ears while being fed by said feed screws, and said feed screws being adapted to at least assist in the removal of the husked ears of corn from said stalks.

MILLARD K. BROWN. 

